Patient Acceleration

In the last several days of watching the news a satellite the size of a bus was to fall from the sky like an old fable, the stock market was falling faster than a child new to ice skating and the events in the middle east were darker than then world without electricity. The concern here is that the news is concerned about ratings. Gloom seems to be the desired focus. Offering problems seems to dull the mood as well as offer negative perceptions of the world. For instance the satellite has not been found, the market bounced back and the violence (for now) subsided. Wrong perceptions have you focused on the wrong things. How many times does your perception of your business become distorted by lack of communication from clients, or from a slow month? The better question is where can you focus to alter your perception of the world?

Watching high school football and the competitive nature of the boys provides great fun on Friday nights. There are some games that are blowouts and others where victory is achieved within just the last ticks of the clock.

Just as football is a game of inches sometimes business operates similar. However, what stops football teams is an equally matched defense to the offense. But for a chiropractor, the only defense is that created by self. The best offense is one that provides visibility through active marketing. The best offense uses referrals and other means to relentlessly increase community. This moves the practice down the field yards at a time. Moreover, a good offense knows when to exploit the defense by taking risks.

Which side of the ball is your practice? If it is not growing at the rate you desire perhaps now is the time to get on the offensive side of the ball.

© 2011 Drew Stevens PhD. All rights reserved.

I was switching channels for the television when I noticed a commercial for a new series on ultimate fighting. This new form of combat between two opponents reminded me of the polarity that exists between chiropractors and patients. There is always resistance during the chiropractic marketing  process simply because there is a lack of trust and respect.

I constantly strive to correct behavior by letting chiropractors know that patients will only do business after a relationship is built and only when they truly understand the value. Therefore the balance of power until this is established is always with the prospect. But what if I told you that you could switch the balance of power? What if I provided you some tips to be more formidable than your opponent? Let’s take a quick look at how to shift balance.

It is always important to understand that any patient will always be:

• Skeptical
• Questioning
• Curious
• Guarded
• Concerned
• Suspicious

The reason for this behavior is simply that patients have been conditioned that vendors  want to sell them items they do not want or need. Patients are very smart today and realize they have numerous choices. More importantly they have something people of my age did not have readily available 15 years ago – Internet access. Patients conduct their own research, speak to other clients and make investment decisions long before they meet you. Therefore much like a fighter in the ring their guard is automatically up when approached.

So what can be done to meet in the middle while gaining respect, attention and opening communication?

1. Always begin with a statement of value. Stop with the titles and inward methods to provide all remedies and descriptions think in terms of results for the patient.
2. Conduct research yourself. Before meeting ask certain questions that enable you to conduct research and build preliminary needs based on some of the research.
3. Are you aware of the world around you? Our research with over 5000 organizations finds that 94% of most chiropractors conduct little research in their respective industry. If you are unfamiliar with uncontrollable environmental factors how can you aid a patient?
4. Speak from the level of differentiation. What do you do that no one that you are aware can replicate? Speak in terms of the things you do and can resolve that no one else can.
5. Stop speaking and start playing detective. I am reminded of an old Dale Carnegie sales class with two instructors illustrating the importance of listening.  The seller continually “pitched” his product while the consumer continually said “I’ll but it.” But the seller kept speaking until the consumer placed a gag in his mouth. You find our more when you are silent.
6. Do you have results that prove your value? So many of us are great at speaking about methods but what clients truly desire is results. Collect, collate and communicate case studies and testimonials. It is not about what you do but the results you gain!
7. Ensure you have a purpose and use great service skills. Always enter a meeting with three objectives, be respectful of time and have clients respect yours. Be the professional by speaking and dressing well as well as using tools that aid you.

No one need enter a relationship with disdain. Many fighters do however sellers and buyers do not necessarily dislike they just distrust. To help gain a better sense of neutrality while also switching the balance of power, prepare so that you perform better. The simple switch in positioning will definitely gain you more wins.

© 2011. Drew Stevens PhD. All rights reserved.

Client attraction is very difficult today. We are in a crazy busy world with too much noise created by the wealth of technology. Consumers today have way too many choices and look to each other to decide who to recommend and who to trust.

Yet there are other reasons why clients might not be attracted to your message! In coaching professional services for over 30 years believe it or not I often find that no matter how good you think you are you might actually be pushing people away from you! I know many gifted people but sometimes it is not about how you are saying things but what you actually might be saying.

1. Stop the titles and stereotypes. If you truly want to get people to pay attention to you and your practice then ensure you are speaking in terms of value. Too many say they are a lawyer, consultant or doctor rather than simply saying the value provided. For example when speaking with others Tom frequently states that he works with small business that desire to dramatically eliminate debt and increase margins. Now that is a conversation starter.

1. I typically find that so many today forget to realize that they are really detectives in different clothing. Think for a moment about the crime shows you desire. Whether CSI or some other favorite the fact is this, no one gets implicated until questions start to get asked. Professional services individuals have such a passion for their business that they forget one thing – customer focus. Stop telling people about your practice and start asking them about issues they need rectified.

1. Stop the charity. I was speaking with Richard and associate in a consulting office who was telling me that his partner Angela was bartering advice to 8 of his 9 clients. Then Angela worries why she is not gaining revenue! When you give out more than you keep you not only have a revenue issue; you deflate your value. Did you ever see a physician or a lawyer give away free service? Why should you? Your practice is built from intellectual capital do not give it way. Think in terms of large organizations with brand value.

1. Follow Up. Why is it the easiest things seem to be so difficult? If you want clients then follow up. One client recently found 9 new prospects and when I asked about action steps he stated, “Well that is a good idea!” No it is the purpose of business. Do not let the little things pass you by.

1. Creating a series of messages that create brand. Clients are too busy to pay attention to only one message medium – they multitask. Too many focus on one medium to gain client attraction but in today’s information crazed world small business must use the concept of integrated marketing to achieve attention.

1. Service Orientation. During the recent summer months I needed home repairs. I called 12 contractors to only receive two calls. Another actually had the audacity to send me a proposal without returning a call or meeting with me! If you ever wondered why so many sit by their phones or troll the streets seeking business think in terms of their customer service. The only excuse for not returning calls and email – laziness.

1. One of the easiest and underused forms of marketing – the referral. Referrals are clients methods for extending their admiration for your services. More importantly referrals are the best and easiest way to build brand. Each time a client visits with you ensure you ask for four to five friends and colleagues that desire similar value that you provide.

© 2011. Drew Stevens PhD. All rights reserved.

I was recently asked to speak at a regional event and just prior to being introduced new members were asked to stand while providing a two-minute “infomercial.” One after the other each provided their name, rank and serial number as if over rehearsed. With the enthusiasm of sleep deprivation each provided a title for their business, i.e. Chiropractor, Dentist, Florist etc.

The problem with these responses is not only boring but also provides little reason for anyone to conduct business with you. When you introduce yourself by title, invisible fences and filters arise because the listening individual may not have an immediate need or they are biased. For example if you introduce yourself as a real estate agent and the listener is not selling or buying property they “tune out.”

Professional services must review their methods of audience engagement to assist networking and lead generation. It is important for two things to occur 1) engage people in order to develop customer centered relationships and 2) illustrate the value you provide to differentiate your practice from others.

When professionals speak they must think in terms of marketing. Marketing is a process that enables you to engage individuals by sharing value based information that aid in developing relationship. Over the last 30 years one of the best methods for establishing this value is with an audio logo. Similar to the manner in which Coke or Nike uses logos to initiate and sustain brand, your audio logo can provide similar.

What is an audio logo? Some may say elevator speech, some a value proposition. Semantics aside an audio logo provides three vital elements: your target market, the issues they have and the value you provide. Simply put, an audio logo is a succinct statement that states what you do without providing a title. For example if you are a Chiropractor you might say, “I work with men and women ages 35 to 50 that greatly suffer from stress and chronic fatigue. I quickly accelerate their agility and flexibility” Not once do we speak in terms of prescription and methods. Nor do we speak about title.

Audio logos remove the stigma of stereotypes while improving the messages sent to prospective clients and peers. The reason – the next statement from the listener will be, “How on earth do you do that?” There is intrigue, desire and most important no filtering. The listener is totally engaged with you.

Don’t believe me take a few moments look into the mirror and state what you do. Then take a few moments to list on a piece of paper the three elements of the audio logo. Which do you deliver with more passion, conviction and interest?  Which provides a better statement of value for you? Try it today and watch your conversations soar!

© 2011. Drew Stevens PhD. All rights reserved.

Many people get into business because of the desire for more choices and less bureaucracy. Yes running a business has its advantages but there are also many hurdles. Perhaps the biggest hurdle – focus on the wrong initiatives. Too many focus on capital, process – even location. These are valid but they are wrong.

If you are an entrepreneur you are in business for one reason – patients. The focus therefore must be on acquisition and retention. It is important to then focus on marketing efforts that create visibility and community.

What is interesting is that entrepreneurs and professional service organizations needs not spend vast dollars in advertising. Visibility and community help to create the allure necessary to grow brand. Think about well-known brands such as Crocs and Apple who conduct very little advertising but have significantly grown their brand. So you are probably saying how can I emulate what the big guys do?

This is very easy. First what is required is to quickly identify your target market. Target market selection enables businesses of all calibers to focus on their perfect client. It is helpful to understand statistical information such as age, income, gender and educational class to develop messages that will attract their needs to your solutions.

Second, develop the solutions and value provided based on perfect client issues. Too many patients focus too much on the features of their product and the facts of the product and the development of the product. No one cares! Patients make decisions based on emotion stemming from the product’s benefits.

Third, businesses must develop a series of articulate messages based on consumer activity. Marketing today requires an integrated approach. With over 9000 messages seen per day as well as patients living in a crazy busy world advertisers need to be more strategic with messages. Integrated marketing involves the use of ten tactical approaches so that patients hear your brand whenever and wherever they are.

Finally, it is important to create consumer communities. Think the Apple store here – the busiest retail shop in every mall. People flock due to their admiration of Apple and actually pull in more patients that never experienced Apple. Therefore you must use your patients as marketing avatars to create case studies and testimonials that attract new patients. Today what drives success are consumer-to-consumer influences. When patients tell others about your products this creates community and allure for the brand.

The issue for many small business owners is that they focus on the wrong thing. Patients must be the only focus and gaining them can be easy if one builds the business based on brand. Brand drives allure, brand drives the business and most important individuals invest in brand for brands sake. Don’t believe me look at your clothes, your jewelry and your automobiles. My bet is your bought for brand not price.

© 2011. Drew Stevens PhD. All rights reserved.

Without sounding trite there is an old statement that says service with a smile. Individuals want to do business with those they trust and those that they like. The first effects of which begin with empathy. I am reminded that the expression one wears on their face is far more important than the clothes one wears on their back. It is one thing to be dressed appropriately but another to have a sourpuss in million dollar clothing.

One of the things that please human beings often is the warmth of a baby’s smile. What might happen if we all walked around and put that same energy each and every day into smiling? End the depression and there would never be conflict in the workplace. I am often reminded of a quote by the late President Abraham Lincoln who once remarked that most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.

It costs nothing, takes little effort yet is a rich as entering a gold mine for the very first time.

If there’s one thing that I can provide you to help you make the best impression amongst peers and colleagues it’s a warm and empathetic smile. And most importantly it is not easy to forget. All you need is memory and a small mirror. Yes a small mirror place a small mirror adjacent to your telephone and look at it each time on the telephone. Others will be amazed at how your presence is received over the telephone.

© 2011. Drew Stevens Ph.D. All rights reserved.